What is the COP30 climate summit, and why does it matter?

As the annual COP30 climate summit opens in Belém, Brazil, attention turns to how governments will move from pledges to implementation. The conference marks a symbolic return to the site of the 1992 Rio Earth Summit and centres on ambitious goals including fossil-fuel phase-out, scaling adaptation finance, and protecting forests. Key players such as small-island states, the G77+China bloc and major emitters will push for stronger mechanisms to mobilise funding and accountability. Worryingly, only a fraction of nations have submitted updated climate plans and major emitters remain behind in actionable commitments, raising doubts about whether the world can still meet the 1.5 °C temperature goal. The summit’s outcome is being framed as a test of multilateralism’s ability to deliver climate solutions at scale and speed.